Kashmir Black Day observed at Pakistan Embassy

TEHRAN -27 Oct-2009: A function was held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Tehran yesterday on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day, which marked the 62nd anniversary of the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.

In his address to the gathering, Mr. Sajid Bilal, the charge d’affaires of the embassy, spoke of the suppression of the Kashmiri people at the hands of the Indian occupation forces and stated that over the past 20 years, more than 92,000 Kashmiri men, women, and children have laid down their lives for the cause of freedom.

Emphasizing the need to find a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute, he said that Pakistan has put forward several proposals toward this end.

And Pakistan will continue to stand with the Kashmiri people in their just struggle to acquire their right to self-determination, he added.

Mr. Bilal expressed appreciation for the fact that Iranian intellectuals stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Kashmiri people and observed that they are not alone because the Kashmiris enjoy the support of the entire Muslim world.

He also thanked the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran for their support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people.

Lasting peace in the region can only be established by resolving the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir, he added.

Iranian scholars Dr. Abbas Kaymonish and Dr. Hassan Shadravan and Tehran Times journalist Hamid Golpira also spoke about the cultural links between Iran and Kashmir, highlighting the historical background of the Kashmir dispute. They asked the international community to pressure the Indian government to give the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.

Iranian film producer Salim Ghafouri, who visited Indian-occupied Kashmir and Azad Kashmir to film a documentary on the plight of the Kashmiri people, spoke about his observations. He stated that there are major human rights violations being committed against the Kashmiri people at the hands of the Indian occupation forces.

An excerpt of Ghafouri’s documentary, which is entitled “Kashmir: The Forgotten Paradise”, was also screened at the event. The film highlights the Kashmir issue and the suffering of the Kashmiri people.

The charge d’affaires of the Pakistani Embassy also spoke with Iranian journalists on the sidelines of the function.

Mr. Bilal commented on various aspects of Iran-Pakistan bilateral relations and elaborated on the efforts of the Pakistani government to combat terrorism. He also emphasized the need for close cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in combating terrorism and improving border security.

Mr. Bilal said that the Kashmir issue is a simmering problem and there can be no quick fix, but noted that dialogue between Pakistan and India is the only way to resolve the problem.

He also stated that Pakistan has always taken the position that a plebiscite must be held to allow the people of Kashmir to determine their own destiny and added that Islamabad will respect the decision of the Kashmiris.